Classics cannot be remade: Dev Anand

Friday, July 28, 2006 New Delhi (UNI): He is known to his fans and his colleague in the Mumbai film industry for his unflappable spirit and his amazing 'savoir-de-foire'.

However, there is one thing that has even the genius Dev Anand disturbed that is, the continuing talk of the remaking of his 60s classic Guide.

''Guide is an inviolable classic and classics cannot or should not be remade,''Dev told UNI during his recent visit to the Capital to announce his international venture 'When Heart Beats Are The same', to be shot entirely in Croatia.

Infact, the actor-turned-filmmaker, going a little further, came down heavily on the latest trend to remake classics like Umrao Jaan, Don, Jewel Thief, Ganga Ki Saugandh, Bombay to Goa, Sholay and Qurbani.

To all these filmmakers who are attempting remakes of various films, Dev says,''why make something which has already been made.

Why not do something which is totally original.'' In this context, he points out that all the films made by him under the Navketan banner were based on original stories and ideas which had never before been translated on the silver screen.

''For example, when I decided to make 'Guide everyone in the industry dissuaded me. They said I was committing 'harakiri' in making a film which showed its hero and heroine with shades of black.

Disregarding all the advise, I went ahead and the result is for everyone to see,''he says.

''Similarly all my other ventures like Lootmaar, Hare Rama Hare Krishna, Des Pardes, Hum Naujawan, Awwal Number and Mr Prime Minister were based on subjects which no filmmaker had earlier touched upon,''Dev said.